Palm Harbor Estate Planning Lawyer

Sherri M. Stinson, P.A. helps Palm Harbor clients protect their legacies with estate planning services.

Palm Harbor Estate Planning Lawyer

Sherri M. Stinson, P.A. helps Palm Harbor clients protect their legacies with estate planning services.

Palm Harbor Estate Planning

Estate planning might be a frightening prospect. There are many reasons people don’t want to think about it, such as acknowledging your mortality or dealing with difficult family situations. However, the prospect of passing away without estate planning documents in place is even more terrifying. Without an estate plan, the state will make important decisions for you, such as who receives your property, who makes decisions for your estate and who will care for minor children.

Passing away without an estate plan puts an unnecessary burden on your family. They will have to handle burial costs, court costs, attorney’s fees, debt collection and more while grieving your loss. Sherri M. Stinson, P.A. can help you protect your family. Our compassionate estate planning services will ensure that everything is in place, so your family won’t have to take on a legal battle after you pass away.

What’s Involved in an Estate Plan?

Sherri M. Stinson, P.A. provides customized estate planning services. The services can include a combination of documents, such as a:

  • Last Will and Testament
  • Trust
  • Durable power of attorney
  • Advanced health care directive
  • Pre-need guardian designation

Wills and Trusts

Estate planning often begins with a will or trust. A last will and testament is the most common estate planning document. You can use this to determine who receives your assets when you pass away. Also, you can designate a guardian for your minor children in a will. 

A trust is another option. If you use this estate planning tool, you will transfer your property to the trust and determine who will receive the assets when you pass away. You can also designate a person to take over the trust if you become incapacitated. A trust is a great option to avoid probate and also offers privacy that a will does not offer. Also, because the probate process is dependent on the clerk’s office, the judge’s calendar and a variety of procedural rules, it often takes longer for your heirs to receive their inheritance.

Sherri M. Stinson, P.A. will go over your needs to see if a will, trust, or both are right for you. Then, our experienced estate planning lawyer can create the legal documents you need for your estate plan.

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Durable Power of Attorney

Planning for incapacity is a crucial part of the estate planning process. Failing to plan for a situation where you have dementia, have suffered a stroke or are no longer mentally capable of caring for yourself creates headache and expense for your loved ones.

If you become incapacitated without a durable power of attorney in place, your family will have to go to court. The judge can then rule that someone in your family can handle your affairs. This is expensive and stressful. Because of that, you can protect your family with a durable power of attorney.

Wills

Have you put off drafting a will because the thought makes you uncomfortable? When you think about drafting a will, you have to confront your own mortality. However, putting it off can have severe consequences. If you pass away without a will, your assets will be distributed based on the Florida Intestacy Statute.

Advance Directives

 As you age, two things become increasingly important: maintaining your autonomy and not burdening your family. You worry about losing your ability to make decisions for yourself, and you don’t want to be a burden to the people you love. That’s why advanced directives are so important.

WHY CHOOSE SHERRI M. STINSON, P.A.?

CAN YOU MAKE CHANGES TO A WILL OR TRUST?

A will does not go into effect until you pass away. Thus, you can change or revoke it at any time. You can also modify and cancel a revocable trust. You can make changes to a trust or a will until you become mentally incapacitated or die. Your estate planning lawyer in Palm Harbor will discuss the benefits and drawbacks to help you determine what type of trust is right for you.

CAN YOU DISINHERIT YOUR SPOUSE?

Florida law protects spouses during the estate planning process. Even if your marriage is breaking down, you cannot disinherit your spouse. Your spouse is guaranteed a percentage of your estate unless you make an agreement to the contrary, such as with a pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreement.  If you are considering disinheriting your spouse, not only do  you need an  estate planning attorney, you also need a family law attorney.  Here at Sherri M. Stinson, P.A., we have a trusted referral network, so you are not left to your own devices to figure out this complex scenario.

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